08 June 2007

Throwing some red meat to the backbench jackals

Alan Cochrane in The Telegraph has become over-excited about the allegedly iniquitous Libya deal:
All of the political to-ing and fro-ing notwithstanding, the clincher for this observer and for many others that this is a serious constitutional, as well as legal, dispute was the fact that Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate, was fully in support of the First Minister's statement. Both she and he could be seen in deep conversation in the few minutes before Mr Salmond got to his feet.
Further, she was in complete agreement with the letter of protest sent from Bute House to Downing Street last night.
Her political independence has never been in doubt - indeed she is the first Lord Advocate in living memory not to be sacked by an incoming government - and I don't think for a minute that she'd get involved in a political stunt.

Let us bear in mind that the Libya agreement is a memorandum of understanding. It is not a formal treaty. No Libyan prisoners have yet been identified for extradition and, indeed, even if in due course they are so identified, the process will remain open to legal challenge.

Of course the Prime Minister should have consulted beforehand, but it would not be the first time that he'd neglected the proprieties. The First Minister saw an open goal and duly blootered the ball into the back of the net. But a serious constitutional dispute? Doubtful ...

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